How to prevent contracting malaria
Commemorate World Malaria Day by learning how you can protect yourself from the deadly disease.
World Malaria Day is observed annually on April 25.
According to the World Health Organisation, in 2020, there were an estimated 241-million cases of malaria worldwide.
More than 600,000 malaria deaths occur in Africa and most are children under five years of age, reports the South African Health Department.
Some parts of South Africa’s nine provinces (Limpopo, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal) are endemic for malaria, and 10% of the population (approximately 4.9 million persons) is at risk of contracting the disease.
The good news is that malaria can be prevented. But, it all starts with knowing how the disease spreads.
Malaria is spread by the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito.
Here is how you can take precautionary measures to protect yourself from the disease:
- The Health Department recommends travellers take antimalarial drugs from September to May, especially those traveling to countries with high malaria transmission.
- The WHO currently recommends the use of insecticide-treated nets or indoor residual spraying to control malaria vectors in most malaria-endemic areas.
READ: These are the only tips and tricks that will keep mosquitoes away!
- The organisation also recommends the following preventive chemotherapies: chemoprophylaxis, intermittent preventive treatment of infants (IPTi) and pregnant women (IPTp), seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC) and mass drug administration (MDA).
- RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccines are also trusted to reduce the spread of malaria.
Remember that, if not diagnosed and treated early, malaria can be fatal.
So, if you experience any of the following symptoms; fever and flu-like illness, including shaking chills, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea, consult your doctor or go to your nearest clinic for testing.
READ: WHO recommends use of first malaria vaccine for children
Image courtesy of iStock/ @ogichobanov